The present invention relates to a game system in which a player shoots at a moving target with a bullet by means of a pneumatic gun.
There are game systems in which a player shoots at the target in front of him or her with a bullet by means of a pneumatic gun. Such a kind of game systems may be found, for example, in the game room or in the theme park. Some of them have the moving targets and provide the player with a present when he or she hits the target.
In the above game systems, it will be desirable if a player can directly choose a present corresponding to one of the targets. Further, it will be also desirable if the present can be delivered to the player right after the target corresponding to the chosen present is hit. In view of the maintenance and the administration of the game system, it will be very advantageous if a lot of presents and targets can be mounted on it at a time. In addition, in the game system, it will be desirable if the player can freely move the pneumatic gun without fixing it since it may feel the player to do a real shooting, which increases amusement.
A game system shooting at the target with a bullet by means of a pneumatic gun may have a device for supplying the bullets for the gun. In such a system, it may be required to supply only proper bullets preserving the original shape. That is, because there may be broken bullets and various other materials than the bullets, it is necessary to select proper bullets from them and provide the gun with only the proper bullets.
The present invention is directed to a game system shooting at the target by means of a pneumatic gun that satisfies these demand and necessities. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a game system shooting at targets by means of a pneumatic gun in which a player can directly choose a present corresponding to one of the targets, the targets moving in the game system. Another object is to provide the game system in which the present can be delivered to the player right after the target corresponding to the chosen present is hit. Still another object of the present invention is to provide the game system which can mount a lot of the presents and the targets at a time.
In another aspect, it is an object of the invention to provide a game system shooting at targets by means of a pneumatic gun in which a player can freely move and shoot the gun at the target without fixing it. Also, it is another object to provide a game system shooting at targets by means of a pneumatic gun which can supply only proper bullets preserving the original shape for the gun.
A game system shooting at targets by means of a pneumatic gun having features of the present invention has a present-supply device. The present-supply device includes a plurality of holders; a plurality of targets, the target having a present and being made of materials which can be easily torn out, the targets being mounted on the holder; and a driving means for moving the holders. In addition, the game system has a present-delivery device for delivering the present to a player and a bullet-supply device for feeding back the shot bullet to the pneumatic gun. Furthermore, the game system has a bullet-select device for supplying the gun with only proper bullets preserving the original shape. The device removes broken bullets or other materials than the bullets to select the proper bullets. The device is arranged between the present-delivering device and the bullet-supply device in the travelling path of the bullets.
By the present-supplying device, the targets, each having the corresponding present, continuously moves on the holders as the driving means drives the holders. Since each of the target has the corresponding present, it is possible to directly choose a target according to the present which the player wants. When the player chooses the target for the present and shoots at the target, several times hit of the target make it torn out since it is made of materials in capable of being easily torn away such as paper. Then, the present is separated from the holder. The separated present from the holder is transferred to the present-delivery device by its gravity and the present-delivery device delivers the present to the player. The shot bullet is also fallen down to the present-delivery device and then transferred to the select device, which selects the proper bullets preserving the original shape. The select device also remove the other materials than the bullets. The bullet-supply device feeds back the selected proper bullets to the gun. Therefore, the player can have fun with this game system to shoot at the moving targets and obtain a present which he or she wants. Furthermore, since on the present-supply device a lot of the targets and the presents can be mounted, and only the proper bullets is supplied for the gun, it is very advantageous to maintain and administrate the game system, which increases the quality of a shooting game.
In the game system, transparent covers which cover the targets and their presents but expose the hitting parts of the targets may be provided in the holders in order to protect the presents when the shot bullets are deviated from the target.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the driving means for moving the holder in the present-supply device includes a pair of gears connected through a chain and a motor for driving the gears. The motor drives the gears, and the holders accordingly make a revolutionary movement. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bullet-select device includes a selection rod having a recess formed spirally along its circumference, a motor for rotating the selection rod, and a panel for supporting the selection rod and the motor, in which the size of the spiral recess is a little smaller than the diameter of the bullet. The bullet having departed from the present-delivery device is drawn into the recess of the selection rod. Since the selection rod is continuously rotated by the motor, the bullet is moved along the spiral of the rod and the bullets not preserving the original shape are removed downside. Therefore, only the proper bullets preserving the original shape are selected and transferred to the bullet-supply device. In one embodiment of the present invention, the bullet-supply device includes a bullet-reception section for receiving the bullets, a solenoid device mounted below the bullet-reception section and a block for supporting the bullet-reception section and the solenoid device, the block having a motor. The solenoid device has a solenoid, a solenoid arm which is withdrawn to the solenoid side when the solenoid turns xe2x80x98onxe2x80x99 and a resilient means between the solenoid and the solenoid arm. In addition, the bullet-reception section has a handle, the handle having a sweeper and being connected to the motor of the block, and at the base of the bullet-reception section is formed a first penetration hole in communication with space between the solenoid and the solenoid arm of the solenoid device. The block has a second penetrating hole in communication with the pneumatic gun, the hole having a bullets-sensing sensor therein and being connected to an air pressure supply means in its one side. A compressor can be used as the air pressure supply means. The bullets selected via the bullet-select device are transferred to the bullet-reception section of the bullet-supply device. The handle installed in the bullet-reception section is rotated by the motor of the block, and, therefore, the sweeper pushes the bullet into the first penetrating hole thereof. Then the bullet is transferred to the space between the solenoid and the solenoid arm through the first penetrating hole. If the solenoid device is actuated, the bullet transferred to the space between the solenoid and the solenoid arm through the first penetrating hole is pushed into the second penetrating hole due to the retraction of the solenoid arm. At this time, the bullet sensing sensor in the second penetrating hole senses the bullet and, by this, the air pressure supply means injects an air pressure into the second hole. This pressure forces the bullet to be fed back to the pneumatic gun.
Viewing the present invention in another aspect, the shot bullets are fed back to the pneumatic gun through a hose. Inside the hose is placed a chain along its longitudinal direction. As a result, the hose maintains rigidity and the player can freely move the pneumatic gun. In this case, to prevent the risk that the bullets are shot outside the shooting position, a pneumatic gun position sensing sensor for sensing that the pneumatic gun is at the shooting position is provided at the shooting position of the present game system, and the shooting is only possible when the sensor senses that the pneumatic gun is at the shooting position.